Seven Injured in Los Angeles Crash Involving LAFD Fire Truck and Three Vehicles
Seven people, including a Los Angeles Fire Department firefighter, were injured Sunday afternoon, September 13, 2026, in a multi-vehicle crash involving an LAFD ladder truck in South Los Angeles. The collision involved the fire truck and three civilian vehicles near South Figueroa and 120th streets.
One person had to be extricated from a vehicle following the crash. All seven patients were evaluated and transported to local hospitals for medical treatment.
DAG Law Firm, APC represents people seriously injured in car accidents throughout California, including complex multi-vehicle collisions. We handle qualifying personal injury matters on a contingency fee basis, which means there are no upfront attorney fees and you do not pay attorney fees unless we win your case. Call (323) 930-2020 to discuss your situation.
What Happened in the South Los Angeles Crash?
According to an official Los Angeles Fire Department incident alert, firefighters responded at approximately 2:30 p.m. Sunday to the 11900 block of South Figueroa Street in the Vermont Vista area. LAFD reported that department apparatus were involved in a traffic collision and that one person required extrication from a vehicle.
A total of seven patients were evaluated and transported to hospitals, including one LAFD member. ABC7 Los Angeles reported that the collision involved an LAFD ladder truck and three other vehicles near Figueroa Street and 120th Street.
Video from the scene showed several damaged vehicles and the fire truck near a commercial building. The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating the collision, and authorities had not publicly announced the cause in the initial reporting.
The names of those involved are not included in this article for privacy. The currently available information also does not establish who caused the September 13 collision or whether any particular driver, firefighter, public agency, or other party bears civil responsibility.
Why a Multi-Vehicle Crash Like This Can Be Complicated
When several vehicles are involved in the same collision, determining how the crash occurred may require reconstructing a sequence of separate impacts. One initial collision can cause another vehicle to enter a different lane, strike another vehicle, or collide with a fixed object, making the final positions of the damaged vehicles only part of the overall picture.
Investigators may examine which impact occurred first, the speed and direction of each vehicle, traffic-signal information, braking or evasive actions, driver visibility, and witness accounts. Surveillance footage, dashcam video, electronic vehicle data, and physical evidence from the roadway may also help establish how the collision unfolded.
More than one driver can potentially contribute to a multi-vehicle accident. California’s comparative-fault principles allow responsibility to be evaluated based on each party’s conduct rather than requiring fault to rest entirely with one person.
For example, investigators might ultimately determine that one driver’s maneuver contributed to a crash while the speed, attention, or actions of another driver also played a role. No such determination has been publicly announced in connection with this South Los Angeles collision, and the available reporting should not be interpreted as establishing fault.
Evidence That May Help Determine What Happened
A collision involving several vehicles can generate a substantial amount of physical, electronic, and documentary evidence. Potentially relevant materials may include LAPD collision reports, LAFD records, photographs from the scene, surveillance recordings, dashcam footage, traffic-camera video, witness statements, vehicle damage, roadway markings, and electronic vehicle information.
Nearby businesses and other properties may also have cameras that recorded the vehicles immediately before or during the collision. Because some surveillance systems automatically overwrite older recordings, identifying and preserving potentially useful footage early can be important after a serious accident.
Modern vehicles may also contain electronic information that can help investigators evaluate speed, braking, acceleration, and other activity before an impact. When several vehicles are involved, that information may be considered together with physical damage, witness accounts, photographs, and other evidence to reconstruct the sequence of events.
Medical records can also document the nature and extent of injuries suffered in the crash. Learn more about DAG Law Firm’s California car accident representation.
How the Involvement of an LAFD Vehicle May Affect a Claim
The involvement of a government-owned vehicle can add procedural issues that may not exist in an ordinary collision between private motorists. If evidence eventually supports a claim involving a public employee or government entity, special notice requirements and shorter deadlines may apply.
California personal injury lawsuits generally have a two-year filing deadline, subject to exceptions. Claims involving a government or public entity can require action substantially sooner, sometimes including presentation of a government claim within six months.
The presence of an LAFD ladder truck at the scene does not establish that the City of Los Angeles, the Fire Department, or any firefighter was responsible for this collision. Investigators must first determine how the crash occurred and whether the evidence supports a claim against any particular person or entity.
Because different deadlines can apply when a public agency may be involved, evaluating the circumstances promptly can be important. Waiting until the ordinary personal injury deadline approaches could create problems if a shorter government-claim requirement applies.
Preserving Information After a Serious Multi-Vehicle Accident
Medical care and immediate safety should come first after a serious collision. Once the emergency has passed, preserving information connected to the crash may help document what happened and the resulting injuries.
Useful materials may include the police report or incident number, photographs and video from the scene, dashcam recordings, witness contact information, medical records and bills, photographs of visible injuries, documentation of missed work or lost income, and communications with insurance companies. Information identifying all vehicles involved may also become important when several drivers and insurance policies are potentially connected to the same accident.
Injured people should also use care before signing broad insurance releases or settlement documents without understanding what claims or parties may be affected. This can be particularly important in a multi-vehicle collision where responsibility and available insurance coverage may not be immediately clear.
Evidence can become more difficult to obtain as time passes. Surveillance video can be overwritten, vehicles can be repaired, and witnesses may become harder to locate. DAG Law Firm provides additional guidance on what to do after a California car accident.
How DAG Law Firm Can Help After a Serious Car Accident
Multi-vehicle collisions can require investigation of several drivers, insurance policies, vehicle records, witness accounts, surveillance footage, and the sequence of impacts. When a public agency vehicle is involved, additional procedural requirements and claim deadlines may also need to be evaluated.
DAG Law Firm, APC represents people seriously injured in qualifying car accidents throughout California. Learn more about our California car accident practice.
If you or someone you love has suffered a serious injury in a California car accident, call (323) 930-2020 to discuss the circumstances.
You do not pay attorney fees unless we win your case. DAG Law Firm handles qualifying personal injury matters on a contingency fee basis with no upfront attorney fees.
This article is based on preliminary information released by the Los Angeles Fire Department and publicly available reporting concerning the September 13, 2026 collision. The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating the crash, and reported facts may change as additional information becomes available. Nothing in the currently available information establishes that an LAFD member, the City of Los Angeles, another driver, or any other person or entity acted negligently or bears civil responsibility. DAG Law Firm, APC does not represent anyone identified in the reports and makes no independent assertion regarding fault or liability. This article is attorney advertising and is provided for general informational purposes only.
